This is not the most lively of forums, but I may make up for that with the detail and length of this post.Ignore the length of this post if you are trying to figure out the difficulty of this recipe as it really is quite easy, and I have filled a bit of history and enough detail just in case you want to do this and want to be sure that you have done it right So some of it is tips and tricks to make it easy to do and easy to get the necessary ingredients (there are only 2) and I have also checked out the features to make authentic basic sauerkraut though some people like to add various embellishments and variations.

I have also added a little background and a few precautions. Please note that I have never had a bad batch of sauerkraut, it is really that easy and it is so much better than the pseudo sauerkraut (cabbage pickled in vinegar) that you can buy at the grocery store. This is a fermented product but not alcoholic fermentation. The fermentation produces lactic acid which is one of the two preservative agents, the one that gives the desirable tang to it. The other preserving agent is brine. You can adjust the saltiness, to suit your taste,easily at the time you open the jar. And it keeps very very well for years on a shelf (preferably on a shelf in the pantry away from light and at room temperature or cooler.

What is Sauerkraut:In order to make sauerkraut one could simply follow a few simple instructions and remain ignorant of why they take those steps or what they are trying to accomplish. Please do not skip this explanation, as procedeing in ignorance is more prone to failure than understanding the process one is trying to execute. Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage in brine by a process of Lacto-fermentation which depends on bacteria which produce lactic acid which is the primary preservative agent. Basically only salt is added to the cabbage which has been shredded. The shredding assists the salt in drawing out water to make the brine as normally no water is added. The shredding also facilitates the fermentation bacteria, normally present on the leaves in gaining access to the cabbage to effect the fermentation. “Sauer” is a Germain word denoting “acid”. It is the Lactic acid Which preserves the cabbage and gives the sauerkraut its characteristic tang.Basic sauerkraut has only two ingredients, cabbage and salt. Vinegar and fruits onions and other such additives are sometime used and in some cases other vegetables instead of cabbage are preserved by the same sort of processing.

Some History:Most people are aware that that the British are called Limeys because the British Navy found that a ration of lime juice prevented the disease called scurvy. Later finding out that the important component was the vitimin C found in citrus fruit and juice. Lesser known is that the Germans have been called “Krauts” for the same reason. Sauerkraut is also high in vitamin C and was used by the German navy to combat scurvy. The lactic acid it contains is said to be good for the digestion as well. Cabbage is a member of the family of plants called crucifers which are associated with lower rates of cancer So it can be said that sauerkraut is a food beneficial to health. The fact that real sauerkraut (i.e.preserved by brine and lactic acid, not vinegar, not frozen) stores for extended periods of time with little or no additional attention is a further benefit.

A Few Notes about the Salt:It should be noted that the salt used should be simply salt without additives such as iodine or anti caking agents. Typically pickling salt, sea salt, or Kosher salt or rock salt are chosen for this purpose. Care should be taken if “Rock Salt” is used as some people do not distinguish correctly between “rock salt” and other salts used for de-icing sidewalks and what they call rock salt may contain something other than Sodium Chloride (NaCl) and could be unsuitable or even toxic. Ordinary table salt is usually iodized and contains anti caking agents. It has been said that iodized salt may cause an off color to the sauerkraut.

Understanding the Cabbage:Recipes which tell you to obtain a number of pounds of cabbage are giving reasonable instructions but miss the matter of someone growing their own cabbage and lacking a scale. To fill that gap, typical heads of cabbage as grown the garden will be about 2.5 lbs for a large head and 1.5 pounds for a small head. Albeit that in really good conditions the heads can be much heavier. So if you are wanting to plant cabbage to make your own sauerkraut you might estimate how much to plant based on 2 lbs per head as a rough estimate and then plant extra for the ones lost to disease or insects. The above weights are based on cabbage heads stripped of the loose outer leaves down to the firm hard head. Also if the cabbage is harvested late the heads may split especially if there are recent heavy rains. This does not prevent their use for sauerkraut. And the tighter the heads the easier it is to shred properly.

Roughly 15 lbs of Cabbage should yield about 6 quarts of Sauerkraut. It does keep well in the refrigerator after opening the jar but unless you want to have several meals using it fairly close together, or if you have a small family or are single or only a couple, pints may be preferable.

Notes on the EquipmentKnife:You will need a knife to slice the cabbage heads into quarters from the stem to the top of the head. Obviously the knife needsto be longer thanthe diamerter of the head, but very probably longer than that because it is often necessary to press down on the handle and the extended tip of the blade out the other side of the head, to easily cut the cabbage. It can be done with a shorter knife but longer is better and an 8 inch chef's knife is a good choice, 10 inch might be better. It should go without saying that the knife should be sharp and the user careful.Cabbage shredder:Nice to have but unless you are going to make a lot every year it is probably an unnecessary expense as careful use of a chef's knife will likely suffice as the shredder is a specialty tool for which you probably have little other use and may prove to be difficult to sharpenCutting board:One that won't slip around is to be preferred because sometimes a good hard head of cabbage may require effort to cut Bowl(s):These may be of help in shredding and salting before placing the cabbage in a crock but depending on other equipment may be bypassed. Crock or Food Grade Plastic Bucket with Lid for Same:Crocks are traditional, heavy and generally cylindrical inside. A 5 gallon plastic bucket is probably more available these days but it needs to be food grade (often available as a bulk container in which food was shipped (e.g. ice cream or other bulk foods sold by restaurants) these will need to be cleaned. Please note that such plastic buckets are usually slightly tapered and this may be problemantic later in the process Also a cover for the crock or bucket will be needed. Note: You will want to know how many jars will be needed to pack the finished sauerkraut and so far we have been dealing with estimates In order to measure the amount of kraut you have made You will need to know the diameter of your crock or bucket. And it will be easiest to measure it while it is empty, so do it before you start. If your bucket has a lot of taper then measure the diameter at several levels and mark the diameter ON THE OUTSIDE with a permanent marker at various heights.Plate Not necessarily a plate but that is the most common device or other close fitting item that can be put in the crock or bucket to press down on the sauerkraut. Here is where the plastic bucket can be problematic because of its internal taper. This plate will be placed on top of the cabbage to press it down and keep it submerged under the brine. The cabbage will reduce in volume as it becomes sauerkraut and the plate will move progressively just a bit downward in the bucket. Accordingly the plate might jam in the taper so a second plate might have to be substituted at that point to continue the processing. Crocks are usually quite close to being a cylinder and are less likely to have this problem. If getting the right size plate is difficult there are alternatives. One is to use a wooden disk (clean untreated not aromatic (e.g. not cedar) that has been coated with paraffin wax. But a really simple one is to simply use a leak proof plastic bag full of water but beware the bag must not leak water into the sauerkraut and dilute the brine and it must have a clean exterior and not be made with contaminated or perfumed plastic as many garbage bags are. A double bag is a good idea.Weights:The plate will have to be weighted down, traditionally clean rocks have been used but glass jars filled with water are a very good choice. During fermentation a bit of scum will float to the top of the brine and above the plate and this needs to be removed. A soup ladle works very well for this. Smooth glass jars are easy to rinse off on the exterior. Plastic jugs can also work. But remember it is the exterior that needs to be clean.For a plate of about 10 inch diameter about 4 to 16 lbs would be about right. The weight of a gallon jug of water or 4 quart jars of water may suffice nicely. Cloth:A cloth such as clean muslini is placed atop the sauerkraut covering all the surface within the crock or bucket and can be wrapped around the edges of the plate if the plate closely fits the crock or bucket. It servers to help keep air off the top of the sauerkraut and becomes a trap for the scum which will forms above the cloth or even above the plate if there is enough brine. The plate and the cloth need not to be cleaned with the daily skimming unless too much scum sticks to the cloth. Simply rinsing in clean water should suffice.A Note on Water Bags:The astute reader may have noticed that if one is using a plastic bag full of water, it alone can potentially replace the plate, cloth and weights. It should easily conform to the top of the Sauerkraut and the walls of the crock/bucket, and also be immune to the problem with the taper found inbuckets. However it has two drawbacks.It can leak and dilute the brine causing a problem with the processing.Since it is not a smooth rigid shape cleaning the accumulated scum off during the processing may be more troublesome. However if it fits better at keeping the air out there may be litte or no scum as air plays a part in forming scum. Scum is a precursor to rot which can spoil the saurekraut.Potato Masher, Pounding Stick, Clean Bare Hands:The kraut will need to be packed into the fermentation crock / bucket. This is done after salting it.The potato masher or the pounding stick serve to pack the salted cabbage tightly, some prefer to mix the salted cabbage with a squeezing action with the hands and packing with a fist. Salting the cabbage as layers are added encourages even distribution of the salt.Packing “bruises the cabbage shreds breaking cells, which in turn allows the salt to more readily extract the water an generate brine. HOWEVER! Being too rough with the cabbage may break the shreds into small pieces which is not traditional and may not be preferred for appearance and handling reasons. A potato masher may prove to be a good choice as it packs but spreads the force. The object is to exclude air enhance brine generation but DEFINITELY NOT to reduce the shreds to a mush! The more finely the cabbage has been shred the less the packing effort is needed. Some crispness should be retained in the finished product and the fermenting heating, water bath canning and final cooking in recipes will soften the sauerkraut further so I would rather under do this step a little than overdo it. However if your shredding technique produces a bit coarse product this may be the place to compensate for that.

Salt Dairy, Sea, Rock, Kosher,Pickling salts preferredTable, iodized salts discouragedi.e. Just plain Sodium Chloride, NaCl About 0.5 Tablespoon per pound of Cabbage or1.25 Tablespoons per quart of Sauerkraut desired. Note that the amount of salt in various recipes varies quite a bit, so the exact amount of salt used should be regarded a guideline that is not all that critical

Might be needed:10% Brine:1part salt to 8 parts water by volumee.g. 2 Tablespoons Salt to 1 cup waterUse to top up brine if cabbage is not covered initially or if too much brine is lost to scum skimming Make as needed and use sparingly

Making the Sauerkraut:Peel loose or damaged external leaves to get to a clean solid headDo not wash the cleaned head. The natural bacteria on the leaves are needed for fermentation.Cut heads in quarters from the base to the top of the head so that the heart of the cabbage head is split into quarters.Cut the quarters of the heart out of the head. These can be eaten rawShread the cabbage quarters finely, 1/16 th of an inch (about the thickness of a dime) is preferred. Fine shredding makes water extraction/brine fomation faster and accelerates fermentation. A manual vegetable shredder is usually preferred. However “chopped cabbage” is not the objective, so various food processors may not produce the desired results,or at least not “classic” sauerkraut and may increase fermentation time. Sprinkle salt on shredded cabbage as each layer of cabbage is added to the batch.Pack the salted cabbage into the crock progressively. If it is covered by the brine generated this way that is as intended but not absolutely necessary if it does not happen immediately.

When the crock is full, with as much cabbage as you have, or to within 2 or 3 inches of the top cover the mixture with a clean cloth and place the plate ,concave side up,(so that bubbles can escape from under it), atop the cloth and put weights on the plate. If pressing the plate down does not get the cabbage covered with brine when the weights are on the plate, so that the brine formation from the salting and packing does not cover the cabbage, it should be close to doing so and the addition of some 10% brine noted above may be needed, but just enough to start covering the plate. More brine will be generated during fermentation and the sauerkraut will reduce in volume as well. The object is to keep the cabbage at least slightly covered, and the addition of brine is rarely needed.

The next phase is to place the crock or bucket of sauerkraut in a location where the temperature will be around room temperature about 70 F It is not particularly critical but lower temperature will delay fermentation and higher will speed it up, but speeding up fermentation could also speed up fungus/scum growth.

With respect to the fermentation process one recipe phrased it, “Within a few days you will begin to sniff the pleasant fermentation process.”. While the process might be somehow pleasant whether the aroma one sniffs is pleasant may be a matter of how much one likes the aroma of cabbage. The aroma is not particularly strong, but depending on one's preference and the preferences of other residents, it may be wise to consider ventilation options of the location chosen. If it really bothers anyone an unused spare bathroom with a vent fan should solve any disagreements about aroma. As would fermenting it in the kitchen near a kitchen range vent hood. But it is not an overwhelming clinging hard to purge odor. Also the presence of running water for cleaning fermentation equipment is valuable. (Of course if anyone objects, the garage would do if it does not get cold enough to freeze brine and a low temperature does not prevent fermentation).

The fermentation time varies according to a variety of recipes and may be found to be as little as 9 days or more than 2 months, 2 to 6 weeks seems to be the average recommendation. The key here is to wait, watch, skim, and taste. Many recipes say to taste the sauerkraut and stop the process when it suits your taste. That is all well and good if you are familiar with the product and know how it should taste, otherwise that is a silly criterion. Since this is a fermentation process you should expect to see bubbles coming up around the edge of the plate. Especially if you press down on the plate to squeeze them out of the sauerkraut. Once the bubbling stops no further change in the product should be expected (unless it spoils) so that is the longest you should wait But if in doubt a few extra days should not hurt. If you are a beginner and have adequate color vision you should watch the color. The green in the cabbage will fade and the sauerkraut can be considered finished when the "white" has disappeared as well and all that remains is a yellowish white coloring.

During the fermentation process some scum will form on top of the sauerkraut. This may appear as small thin clumps of a waxy consistancy or just a less than clear layer atop the brine. It will also cling to the plate, the cloth and the water jars or other weights. After removing the weights and rinsing them off and skimming the brine surface the plate and cloth can be removed and rinsed thoroughly if the scum sticks to them but, if there is a thin layer of brine over the plate, this may not be necessary as the skimming will be easier and sufficient when done daily. Some recipes suggest sprinkling just a bit of fresh salt on the sauerkraut before returning the cloth plate and weights should they be removed for cleaning. The claim is that this will deter excessive scum formation.

After the fermentaion is finished there are multiple ways to store the sauerkraut. There is the very low tech old fashioned way of just leaving it in the crock, skimming the scum (actually a mold formation akin to the lees that settle to the bottom in wine making except that this stuff floats), as needed.

There is the contemporary low labor way of putting serving size amounts in zip lock bags and freezing them. Then there is the safe and sane no risk of a power failure thawing everything way of canning it.

Canning the Sauerkraut:FIRST: In order to know how many jars you will need measure the volume of the sauerkraut in the bucket/crock, before it is disturbed. This will provide the best estimate of the number of jars needed. If the kraut is disturbed it will likely "fluff up" and take up more space than it will once packed into jars.

If you are using a bucket with a taper then take the diameter at half way up the depth of the undisturbed sauerkraut. Since a plastic bucket is a bit translucent this can usually be measured on the outside if the bucket is well illuminated inside, but be sure to allow for any rim on the bottom of the bucket.

The formula for the volume is:

V = pi x d^2 /4 x D /29 where: pi = 3.14 d^2 is the square of the diameter in inchesD is the depth depth in inches, of the sauerkraut in the bottom of the bucket or crockV is the volume in pints.

If this is based on measurements of the undisturbed sauerkraut it will probably give a very accurate estimate but if the sauerkraut is disturbed it will tend to overestimate the number of pint jars needed by maybe 20% or so.

If you are working in metric units.V= pi x d^2 /4 x D /1000 where: pi =3.14 d^2 is the square of the diameter in cmD is the depth depth in cm, of the sauerkraut in the bottom of the bucket or crockV is the volume in liters

Since sauerkraut is an acid food, it is easily canned by the water bath method and no pressure cooker is required. The process starts with thoroughly cleaning the jars and lids and then boiling them in water to sterilize them.

The sauerkraut is first put into enough fresh water to cover it and brought to a simmer just barely boiling to get it hot enough to kill any remaining bacteria. putting pre-boiled water into the sauerkraut may make this a more convenient and quicker and efficient process

At the same time the brine from the fermentation is also heated to sterilize it.

The hot sauerkraut is then lightly packed into the sterile jars, and topped up with the brine to bring both the sauerkraut and brine to within a half inch of the top of the jar.

Lids are placed on the tops of the jars and the screwbands are turned down but not excessively tightened.

The jars are then processed in the normal “water bath” technique at 15 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quarts. The screwbands are re checked but not excessively tightened.

If kept from freezing (brine does not freeze easily) the canned sauerkraut should keep for years.Upon opening, taste the sauerkraut, and if too briny rinse with water but thereafter refrigerate until consumed.

Us as a vegetable or perhaps in a Rueben sandwich or with hot dogs or with sausage, etc.

Thank you, Bare TruthMy college room mate's family was German and I heard him describe the process with disgust in his voice, however I have always loved Sauerkraut and have ever since wanted to try to make it. With finally settling down, I think we may try this either this year or next. My plan for this weekend is to work up a new plot for our winter garden which I think would include Cabbage here in SC. Do you know if Collards or Kale can be lactofermented or are they too tough or too low in water for this process? Sauercollards sounds like it would be good. I include Kale in my question because my wife always wants to grow it because it's healthy, but I really don't want to eat it, fermenting might make it betterThanks again.Naked Preacher

If, when we judged others, our real motive was to destroy evil; we should look for evil where it is certain to be found, and that is in our own hearts. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

nakedpreacher wrote:.......I have always loved Sauerkraut and have ever since wanted to try to make it. With finally settling down, I think we may try this either this year or next.

Cabbage and salt are cheap, why wait??

nakedpreacher wrote: My plan for this weekend is to work up a new plot for our winter garden which I think would include Cabbage here in SC

The data I provided with the recipe about yield should give you some idea about how much to plant.

nakedpreacher wrote:Do you know if Collards or Kale can be lactofermented or are they too tough or too low in water for this process?

My answer will probably have to be taken with a grain of salt (pun intended) but since cabbage is the standard I would recommend trying to make some now, so that when you experiment with something else, that you have a better idea what is and isn't supposed to be happening.The book Stocking Up by the staff of "Organic Gardening and Farming", Rodale Press, (I have The 1977 edition, ISBN 0-87857-167-1 but as it has been one of their big sellers there are probably more recent editions and you might find it in the public library). On page 167 in the general comments on Sauerkraut and alternative crop materials says:"Tight-forming head lettuces can be used instead of cabbage to make a milder form of 'sauerkraut,' and although we've never made it ourselves, we have heard of people who have used shredded carrots and turnips instead of cabbage." If they can go that far afield from cabbage I suspect that other crucifers are probably even more adaptable. Proceed at your own risk. and let us know how it works.

Then on page 168 they mention:"Other raw vegetables can be added to ferment with the cabbage. Good additions are thinly sliced onions, carrots and turnip strips, cornflower segments and radish slices. Do your own experimenting." Cauliflower is also another crucifer, so it is looking good for possible other crucifers. What is unclear is if it requires cabbage to make the fermenting go and the other veggies are just along for the ride or will properly ferment on their own. Let us know if it works for you.

nakedpreacher wrote:My plan for this weekend is to work up a new plot for our winter garden which I think would include Cabbage here in SC.

That far south I suspect that cabbage being a cold weather crop you might have good success with it in a winter garden.Personally I have lived mostly far enough north that a winter garden has not been an attractive option.

nakedpreacher wrote:....are they too tough or too low in water for this process?...

The use of salt to extract moisture and form brine of the plant conditions the texture of the product, and still I have often had to add a little 10% brine to aid the processing so I suspect that what ever compensations might be needed that they are probably readily done.

nakedpreacher wrote: I include Kale in my question because my wife always wants to grow it because it's healthy, but I really don't want to eat it, fermenting might make it better.

I identify with your situation on that one, My wife also grows kale but I do not care for it, and I am of the opinion that fermenting might indeed render it more palatable, I doubt it could hurt it, and all you have to lose is a bit of salt and the time to try it.

nakedpreacher wrote:Thanks again.Naked Preacher

You are welcome againBare_Truth

Last edited by Bare_Truth on Thu Aug 31, 2017 12:03 am, edited 1 time in total.

Yes, I expect the Rachael might prove good as well however sometimes along with Pastrami substituted for corned beef other substitutions are used in the Rachael. I do not think I would care for the substitution of cole slaw for the Sauerkraut and a different dressing or whatever other substitutions they might make. So maybe I should ask for a "Beef Pastrami Reuben" (I do not think that turkey, mutton or pork pastrami would be near as good).

I don't have the time to read your whole write-up right now, Bare, but my 1/8 German heritage says danke schön!

Also, if any of y'all are ever in Fredericksburg, TX, there is a restaurant called Hondo's that serves a "Reuben Gone Wild," with really, really good Sauerkraut. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!

I also like a little mustard on my Reuben. My wife and I have totally taken to dill mustard, especially Inglehoffer's. It's a specialty item that we've only found in one store in Charlotte, NC (thank you, my son!), so far - we look everywhere we go. But you can order it online, through Walmart, home make it, etc. Not that it's rare, just that not a lot of people know about it. It is an exceptional condiment that I highly recommend, and it's yummy on Reubens.

Sandwich shop put this on my plate when I ordered a Reuben:Bologna instead of corned beefWhite bread instead of ryeVelveeta white imitation cheese instead of SwissThe sandwich did have thousand island dressing and sauerkraut.

I can't say that this was the worst Reuben sandwich I ever ate because I can't really call this a Reuben, even though the restaurant attempted to do so.

nakedpreacher wrote:.......I have always loved Sauerkraut and have ever since wanted to try to make it. With finally settling down, I think we may try this either this year or next.

Cabbage and salt are cheap, why wait??

The hold up is time, lots of stuff going on for the next several months. Didn't get my plot tilled this weekend, if I don't get it in the next couple weeks it may not happen until next spring. Rest assured, I will be looking back to this stripe when our garden does happen.Naked Preacher

If, when we judged others, our real motive was to destroy evil; we should look for evil where it is certain to be found, and that is in our own hearts. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

jude700 wrote:Have had sauer kraut with carrots and cauliflower, as well as other vegetables. Also, added Fennel and caraway seed. You can try other seeds

Sometimes take brine from a good old batch as a starter for new.

Have also pickled herring and other products. Eperiment

Good point about taking brine from a good batch.I have had some kraut that was too sour for my taste out of the jar and others that were exactly to my liking.When I run into a very sour batch, I simply rinse, boil it for a few minutes and drain to take the acid down a notch.Not too keen on seeds in my kraut, but taste varies from person to person.Canned Mexican-style jalapeno peppers frequently have pickled carrots and onions in the batch and I enjoy a pickled carrot as much as the pepper.Korean Kim Chi frequently uses Nappa, (a soft type of cabbage) and a nice variety of vegetables such as radish.Kim Chi tends to be too peppery and garlicky for me, but if you make it yourself, it will be done your way!